All things considered, this AU Softball Championship Season looks to be one that could have a similar finish to that of last season. Odicci Alexander, the captain of Team Gold in Week One, won it all by just 14 points over the captain of the Orange squad, Alyssa Denham. Nonetheless, the early leaderboard shows that AU’s youth movement is underway. That being said, here is a recap of the Opening Day doubleheader at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex.
Game One: Pitching Dominance Led the Way in AU Softball Action
Here, Gwen Svekis‘ Blue team faced off against Denham’s Orange team to open the AU Softball Championship Season. Veteran outfielder Victoria Hayward got the first hit of the season with a single to straight centerfield for Team Svekis. Hayward would account for two of the Blue squad’s five hits in the game as Denham and lefty Taylor McQuillin slowed the offense.
Denham went four innings, allowing just three hits while McQuillin pitched the remaining three frames as she allowed two hits while striking out two. The lone run of the game came off the bat of Kelsey Harshman in the bottom of the sixth. The infielder slammed a solo homer to center field to give Team Denham the 1-0 lead.
OMG OMG OMG@Kelsey_Harshman wins it for Team Denham with one swing 💣 #AUProSB | 📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/eWcIC3jNZL
— AU Pro Softball (@auprosoftball) July 27, 2024
She would take home MVP 1 honors as McQuillin and Denham took home MVP 2 and 3 honors, respectively. Sashel Palacios won Defensive MVP for Denham and the Orange Team. In the loss, Megan Faraimo pitched five-and-two-thirds innings, allowing the lone run with six strikeouts for Team Svekis.
Game Two: Rookies Making an Immediate Impact
As mentioned before, some rookies are making their professional debut in this year’s AU Championship Season. The final game of the doubleheader was Alexander and the Gold Team against Sydney Romero’s Purple Team. Bubba Nickles, the 2024 AUX Champion, knocked in the first run with an RBI single in the top of first for Team Alexander.
Rookie Claire Davidson tied it up for Team Romero in the bottom of the second with a double, scoring Kelsey Stewart-Hunter. Next, Romero’s squad would take the lead in the following inning thanks to an RBI single by Delanie Wisz.
Speaking of Davidson, she and her bat hit a three-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth. Lastly, Sierra Romero scored on a passed ball in the fifth inning to cap off the scoring for Team Purple.
what did you eat for breakfast, Claire?!@claire7davidson | 📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/NUGCX80302
— AU Pro Softball (@auprosoftball) July 27, 2024
As for the pitching, rookie right-hander Lexi Kilfoyl went the distance as she allowed six hits while sitting down four batters. To the surprise of few, Kilfoyl would take home MVP 1 honors as her teammates Davidson was the MVP 2 and Wisz the MVP 3.
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